The Mermaid Murders: The Art of Murder, Book 1

Special Agent Jason West is seconded from the FBI Art Crime Team to temporarily partner with disgraced and legendary "manhunter" Sam Kennedy when it appears that Kennedy's most famous case, the capture and conviction of a serial killer known as the Huntsman, may actually have been a disastrous failure. The Huntsman is still out there...and the killing has begun again.

The Long Way Home

Ever since the accident that cost him his job on the Seattle police force, Kevin Quinn has been living with psychic abilities he refers to as the 'gift that keeps on taking'. His attempts to use his talents to help the police have been met with limited success. Yet, when teenage boys start going missing from the beach cities of Southern California, Kevin gets on a plane.

Half Moon Rising

After more than a decade, Troy Bishop is going home to the family he left behind when his parents died. Little does Troy know, he's about to get a lot more than he bargained for. Sawyer Quinton has been waiting for his mate for as long as he can remember and was beginning to think he'd never find him. Until Troy Bishop walked back onto the Reservation. The attraction is immediate for both men, but one is hiding a secret and the other must finally open is heart.

The Persistence of Memory: Mnevermind Trilogy, Book 1

While forgetting your problems won't solve them, it does seem like it would make life a heck of a lot easier. Daniel thought so once. Now he knows better. He and Big Dan have always been close, which makes it all the more difficult to break the daily news: the last five years were nothing like his father remembers.

Winter Kill

Clever and ambitious, Special Agent Adam Darling (yeah, he's heard all the jokes before) was on the fast track to promotion and success until his mishandling of a high profile operation left one person dead and Adam "on the beach". Now he's got a new partner, a new case, and a new chance to resurrect his career, hunting a legendary serial killer known as the Crow in a remote mountain resort in Oregon.

Fair Game

A crippling knee injury forced Elliot Mills to trade in his FBI badge for dusty chalkboards and bored college students. Now a history professor at Puget Sound university, the former agent has put his old life behind him, but it seems his old life isn't finished with him.

Stranger on the Shore

Twenty years ago little Brian Arlington was kidnapped from his family's Long Island estate and was never seen again. The trail went cold, but investigative journalist Griff Hadley has always thought there was more to the story - much more. When the Arlingtons' patriarch invites him to stay at their estate to research his true crime book, Griff can't say no. It's the story of a lifetime. But not everyone is happy about Griff's presence. Relatives and staff alike regard him coldly, including Pierce Mather, the Arlingtons' attractive lawyer.

Hexbreaker: Hexworld, Book 1

New York copper Tom Halloran is a man with a past. If anyone finds out he once ran with the notorious O'Connell tunnel gang, he'll spend the rest of his life doing hard time behind bars. But Tom's secret is threatened when a horrible murder on his beat seems to have been caused by the same ancient magic that killed his gang. Cat shifter Cicero is determined to investigate the disappearance of one friend and the death of another, even though no one else believes the cases are connected.

Wolfsong

Ox was 23 when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his blood red eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces. It's been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he's a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Jefferson Blythe, Esquire

In this fast, fun, and dead-sexy male/male new-adult caper from multiaward-winning author Josh Lanyon, twentysomething Jefferson Blythe gets lost, gets found, falls in love, and comes out…all in the span of one wild summer. After his first relationship goes disastrously awry, Jeff Blythe uses his savings to tour Europe—the old-fashioned way. Armed with his grandfather's 1960 copy of Esquire's Europe in Style, Jeff sets off looking for adventure but finds much, much more than he bargained for….

The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks

His romantic weekend in ruins, shy 20-something artist Perry Foster learns that things can always get worse when he returns home from San Francisco to find a dead body in his bathtub. A dead body in a very ugly sportscoat - and matching socks. The dead man is a stranger to Perry, but that's not much of a comfort; how did a strange dead man get in a locked flat at the isolated Alton Estate in the wilds of the 'Northeast Kingdom' of Vermont? Perry turns to help from 'tall, dark and hostile' former navy SEAL Nick Reno.

Murder in Pastel

Ten years ago, Cosmo Bari vanished, taking with him his legendary masterpiece, Virgin in Pastel. Since that day, no one in the seaside art colony of Steeple Hill has heard from the eccentric painter. Surrounded by an extended family of Cosmo's colorful compatriots, mystery writer Kyle Bari believes he has come to terms with being abandoned by his famous father. Then his ex-lover, Adam MacKinnon, arrives with his new partner, the beautiful but poisonous Brett.

The Haunted Heart: Winter: The Haunted Heart (Book 1)

Still grieving over the sudden death of his lover, antiques dealer Flynn Ambrose moves to the old, ramshackle house on Pitch Pine Lane to catalog and sell the large inventory of arcane and oddball items that once filled his late uncle's mysterious museum. But not all the items are that easy to catalog. Or get rid of... Since Alan died, Flynn isn't eating, isn't sleeping, and isn't spending a lot of time looking in mirrors. But maybe he should pay a little more attention - because something in that 18th Century mirror is looking at him.

The Tutor

Seeing an ad for a position at a Yorkshire estate, typesetter Graham Cowrie decides to make an upward career move by passing himself off as a tutor. How hard can it be to teach a few subjects to a pair of nine-year-old boys? But on his arrival at the ancient house, he finds the staff creepy, the twins odd, and the widowed master temporarily absent. His first meeting with brooding, stern, but oh-so-attractive Sir Richard doesn't go well, but with no other prospects vying for the teaching position, Graham manages to keep it.

Mad Lizard Mambo: The Kai Gracen Series, Book 2

Licensed Stalkers make their living hunting down monsters and dangerous criminals, and their lives are usually brief, brutal, and thankless. Despite being elfin and cursed with a nearly immortal lifespan, Kai didn't expect to be any different. Then Ryder, the High Lord of the Southern Rise Court, arrived in San Diego, and Kai's not-so-mundane life went from mild mayhem to full-throttle chaos.

Forbidden Mate: Holland Brothers, Book 4

Finding his mate should have been Patrick Holland's greatest day. Instead, it turned into a nightmare with one phone call. His mate didn't want him. His heart broke. But at 16 he was too young to do anything. The next 10 years - 10 long years - of Patrick's life are spent at odds with his mate. Split by forces he can't comprehend and a long line of misunderstandings, Patrick doubts he'll ever get the man he's both loved and hated. They say time heals all wounds, but how much time?

The Heart of Texas: Texas Series, Book 1

Riley Hayes, the playboy of the Hayes family, is a young man who seems to have it all: money, a career he loves, and his pick of beautiful women. His father, CEO of HayesOil, passes control of the corporation to his two sons; but a stipulation is attached to Riley's portion. Concerned about Riley's lack of maturity, his father requires that Riley 'marry and stay married for one year to someone he loves'. Angered by the requirement, Riley seeks a means of bypassing his father's stipulation.

In the Middle of Somewhere

Daniel Mulligan is tough, snarky, and tattooed, hiding his self-consciousness behind sarcasm. Daniel has never fit in - not at home in Philadelphia with his auto mechanic father and brothers, and not at school where his Ivy League classmates looked down on him. Now, Daniel's relieved to have a job at a small college in Holiday, Northern Michigan, but he's a city boy through and through, and it's clear that this small town is one more place he won't fit in.

A Ghost of a Chance

Over a century ago Illusionist David Berkeley committed suicide in his mansion by the sea, thus dooming his restless spirit to wander forever. Or so the local legend goes. Professor Rhys Davies, a part-time parapsychologist, is writing a book on California hauntings and he believes the crumbling ruins of Berkeley House will make a terrific chapter -- if he can gain access to the house and grounds. The only obstacle is brooding cop and self-appointed caretaker, Sam Devlin.

Alaska, with Love

Josh Montgomery is a red-blooded American male that loves his job and loves women even more. Part of an elite team run by General Derek Jacobs, Josh and his fellow assassins take pride in their jobs. When one Assassin gig turns into a rescue mission on the side, Josh's life is turned upside down by the man he rescues. Now, he has to take a good long look at who he really is. With the help from his friends Mateo, Riley, and Troy, Josh tries to understand what he's feeling.

Fish Stick Fridays

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine, until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl. Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on.

Dark Horse, White Knight

Paul Hammond is dead. That's what tough and sexy LAPD Detective Daniel Moran tells his lover, Hollywood actor Sean Fairchild - and Sean wants to believe him, but what about those threatening postcards in Hammond's handwriting? What about the fact that he's seeing Hammond everywhere he goes? Yes, Sean's had some emotional problems in the past, but that was a long time ago and he's not imagining things, so why is Dan looking at him that way?

Fallow: Whyborne & Griffin, Book 8

When Griffin's past collides with his present, will it cost the lives of everyone he loves? Between the threat of a world-ending invasion from the Outside and unwelcome revelations about his own nature, Percival Endicott Whyborne is under a great deal of strain. His husband, Griffin Flaherty, wants to help - but how can he, when Whyborne won't tell him what's wrong?

Publisher's Summary

Fed up with his desk duty in the Imperial Arcane Library, book hunter Colin Bliss accepts a private commission to find The Sword's Shadow, a legendary and dangerous witches' grimoire. But to find the book, Colin must travel to the remote Western Isles and solve a centuries' old murder.

What does Max Miller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His amazing, distinct vocal characterizations of all the characters in the book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when Septimus, who has been assigned to kill Colin even though he loves him, says "I would do anything to save you."

Any additional comments?

The story is a heady brew of fairies, brownies, witches, humans with magical powers, an ancient monster from the Deep, Celtic legends, and magic spells. Of course, it’s also a suspenseful mystery and a romance. Lanyon places his story in the haunted, wind-swept isles off the northwest coast of Scotland, a location which inspires some of the best, most lyrical descriptive writing he has produced.The story’s title is a reference to the poem of the same name by Thomas Hardy. Appropriately for the story, the poems last lines are:

“I could think there trembled through His happy good-night air Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew And I was unaware.”

When I began this book I was a bit unsure of what I had gotten myself into. I had to listen to the first chapter twice in order to get both a sense of the story as well as a back-story to some of the mystical characters involved. Additionally, the time frame of the story continues to elude me. As a huge fan of Josh Lanyon's, I was a bit surprised at the lack of back-story regarding the mystical...but I digress. With all that, I must admit that I did get into the story and enjoyed it a great deal. Colin's outlook was interesting and the whole thing with Septimus caught me off guard, which is always a good thing. Max Miller did a great job and added differing perspectives to the list of characters within the story. I do recommend, but if you are a bit uneducated to the mystical, you may need to prepare to listen very closely or perhaps twice. Good story...

Highly enjoyable. I really liked the ebook and hearing it read is a real treat. Max Miller's voice is just perfect for the character of Collin and his handling of the Gaelic used throughout the story sounded authentic to this untrained ear.

All of the characters came to life as they do when the writing is excellent as it is here. I find the idea of using a type of psychometry (the ability to "read" the past of an object) to track down the history of a book a fascinating one. There's always a curiosity about where a book has been or who used it last and Collin is one who has the ability to do this. When he's hired to use his skills to hunt down an ancient tome of dangerous spells, Collin takes a vacation from his job in London and heads north to Scotland and straight into danger.

There is a male-male relationship within the pages of this story, but its well written and understated, as Josh Lanyon's skill at giving us the underlying emotions between the pairing (especially during the intimate scenes) is subtle and wonderful to read/hear.

On the whole, well worth the money. And I look forward to hearing another book read by Mr. Miller.

Where does The Darkling Thrush rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high. The story was a wonderful surprise and the narrator is outstanding. I don't know where they found him, but I do hope that he gets lots more work.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Septimus. You could tell that he had ambiguous feelings for the hero and when the truth was finally revealed, he morphed into a darkly sensual (not just sexual) man that I wish was present in more m/m novels.

Which scene was your favorite?

The train's journey to Scotland.

If you could take any character from The Darkling Thrush out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Septimus. He was quite mysterious and I would have wanted to unravel him.

Where does The Darkling Thrush rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Darkling Thrush is probably in my top 5 if I am ranking by narrators. I have several favorites (Holter Graham, Simon Vance, Barbara Rosenblat), Max Miller has immediatly put himself right up there. Not only can he read, with excellent accent's, but he can sing!! As a whole I would rank it easily within my top ten and I own over 100 audio books.

What other book might you compare The Darkling Thrush to and why?

Hard to find something to compare it to that is an audio book but it has some of the same tone/feel as some of the victorian/steampunk I have read--although in no way is it steampunk. I suppose it caters to my love of traditional British detective novels but with an m/m relationship and lots of magic!

Have you listened to any of Max Miller’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first I've listened to--I will be looking for more.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes--but I made myself eek it out.

Any additional comments?

I have never read anything by Josh Lanyon that I didn't love. If he is able to keep up the quality of narration I will buy all of them in audio too!

It's a very atmospheric (urban) fantasy story, and I love the idea of book perusing, the ability to feel and see into the past of a book and the people who've read it or handled it. It's such a good story!

I love everything about Max Miller's performance! he's such an amazing narrator, with such a good range of voices, he always finds the right cadence for the book, and he makes every character come alive. For this book, i especially liked the voices he had for the "villains", very distinct, triggering an instant reaction towards the character, as i expected/remembered from the book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were definitely intense moments - suspenseful, exhilarating, moments when i held my breath, some scary moments and some heart-warming ones. It's a journey, an adventure. I highly recommend it!

What made the experience of listening to The Darkling Thrush the most enjoyable?

The narrator's voice was very pleasant and he impersonated all the characters beautifully. He had a distinct voice for each of them and switched from male to female voices, or American to English to Scottish accents convincingly. You can tell that he probably read and really understood the book before narrating the story.

What did you like best about this story?

The subtle strangeness of the characters and the lyrical quality of the vocabulary: "veneficus", "librivinator" "vox pessimires", "Sociestas Magicke", "Faileas a’ Chlaidheimh" etc. I also liked the mystery plot and the British setting. Compared to the rest of the plot, the romance was a bit under-developed, unfortunately.

Who was the most memorable character of The Darkling Thrush and why?

Colin Bliss. The book is written in his POV and he has an amazing voice. He is self-deprecating and proud at the same time, suitably imperfect (just enough to be interesting and still appear like the good guy). He is funny without trying too hard but he is also a boring nerd. He is lucky and very unlucky at the same time, he is in love and not so in love. He is everything and its contrary. I loved it!

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book if you are looking for a good fantasy, but not if you are looking for a fully developed and fulfilling romance. If you are looking for THE great gay romance, check the Adrien English Mysteries series by the same author.

I will listen to it again. I enjoyed this story even more then the first time I read it. Max Miller does an amazing job, bringing the characters to life. I suppose I rushed through it when I read it myself. Listening to the story in a slower pace made me savor the language, the setting and the world building in much more detail.There are still a lot of questions unanswered so I'm hoping for a sequel.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Colin Bliss is irresistible as a young, naive but very intelligent book hunter.

Have you listened to any of Max Miller’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't know any other performances by Max Miller but I will look out for them. This narration is amazing, Max brings all these different characters to life and he can sing too!

I really really enjoyed this book and wish it were a longer series. It's a nice divergence from the typical murder mystery Lanyon usually writes.

I enjoyed the mystical/fantasy elements to the story as well as the early 20th century feel to the environment. The chemistry between the two leads was really well done and I hope there's more of these two to come at some point.

The narrator took a while for me to get used to and there seemed to be some audio issues where it'll go from whisper quiet to a much louder voice which you can tell is when the narrator stopped/started recording but after all is said and done I really did like his tone and his voices for everyone.

More than any other Lanyon story I find myself REALLY wanting to listen to/read this one again. Which I plan to do soon as I finish the book I'm reading right now.

The romance. It felt rushed and weird as hell. I didn't feel like they really had a relationship, and maybe I should have paid closer attention to the blurb because I didn't guess who his love interest was, and when it started I was really surprised and thrown for a loop. I mean, his boyfriend is an asshole for most of the book so I just couldn't see them actually being in love.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Max Miller?

Haha, I actually have and his voice cracks me up; I like him but he's definitely not my favorite. I probably will try to avoid buying more audiobooks with him as the narrator. I don't know, I keep changing my mind about whether I actually like his voice or not.

Could you see The Darkling Thrush being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Haha, no. That would be awkward as hell.

Any additional comments?

I liked the main character, but other than that I found the plot confusing, and the romance awful. I'm not sure if it is because listening rather than reading this book caused me to get really confused about the weird book backstory, but I'm not even really sure what was going on half the time. Probably I won't read it again.